Song of Solomon. Chapter 3
The woman of this song could not find her loved one; she looked in the night about the streets of the city; but she did not find him, and was very sad. She asked the watchmen and they could riot tell her, but soon after she found him!
Night speaks of trouble and sorrow, and the people of Israel were often in trouble, because they turned from God’s ways, then later, with sorrow, as this woman, they sought God’s mercy, and He showed them His love.
The singer next sang of a great one to come, as not at first seeming to know who he was:
“Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, peumed....?” (Verse 6).
Sweet incense was then used in worship to God, so this one who came had offered what was pleasing to God. Soon the singer seems to know more of this one and sings,
“Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s, three score valiant men about it.... They all hold swords ... ”(Verses 7, 8).
A bed speaks of rest, and the name Solomon means, “peaceable”. So this great one would bring rest and peace.
These people had also been told much in the Psalms of a time of rest, peace, and joy by a great king, also later by the prophets, as Psa. 72; Zech. 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9). Years after when the Lord Jesus was on earth He said,
But few believed Him. He also told them of a time of power and glory.
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the One sung of in this song. Who went through a dreary “wilderness”, and offered, in His life and death, what was pleasing to God. The “swords of the vaant men about his bed” must be the words of God used by the faithful in telling of judgment (See Heb. 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12), John 12:4848He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48), Jude 14, 1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15)).
Next, the wonderful chariot of this one, used in a time of glory, was sung of:
“King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom of gold, the covering of it of purple.” (Verses 10, 11).
The Ark of Israel, teaching of One to save, was made of wood, and the choice wood of “the chariot” seems also to tell of the One Who became Man. And when He conies again, it will also be as Man, as,’a chariot of wood”. The “silver pillars” teach of redemption (Ex. 38:2525And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: (Exodus 38:25)); the floor of gold, firm and lasting, of righteousness, and the “purple covering”, costly, because the dye was then made from a part of a shell fish, very hard to obtain, seems to teach of a life given up. So all this “chariot” tells of this Mighty One.
The last verse is of the joy to the great King, a “day of gladness” when He will enjoy His people Israel and give blessings to all the earth.
All who love the Lord Jesus now are also to think of their glorious time.
ML 09/14/1941